Windmill



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. M. ROLPH.

Windmill. No. 234,204. Patented Nov. 9,1880.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2A. B. M. ROLPH.

Windmill.

No. 234,204. Patented Nov. 9,1880.

....Jl f

NA PUERS. FHOTO-LITMOGRAFHER. WASHINGTONy D (IA IINTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN M.. ROLPH, OF TAYLOR, ILLINOIS.

WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,204, dated November 9, 1880,

Application led April 10, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN M. RoLPH, of Taylor, in the county of Ogle and State et' Illinois, have invented a new and useful Windmill, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of windmills known as selfregulating mills, in which the wind-wheel is capable of assuming a position in a plane parallel to the lengthwise vertical plane of the main vane employed to hold the Wind-wheel in the wind, in which position the wind will-act upon opposite sides ofthe fan-blades on opposite halves ofthe wheel, and operate to retard its motion. To provide suitable mechanism capable of producing these results in a cheap and reliable. manner is the object of this invention, and the devices ernployed, their application, and mode of operation will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an isometrical representation of a windmill embodying my invention, of which Fig. 2 is a plan view with the Wiudwheel at right angles to the vane and in the wind. Fig. 3 is also a plan view in which the wind-wheel is parallel with the vane, in which position the mill is out of the wind. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 is a side elevation 5 Fig. 6, a central vertical section through the axial center of the shaft of the wind-Wheel.

In the several figures A represents posts, which are rectangular in cross-section, of suitable size and connected at proper intervals by horizontal bealns B, suitably framed or otherwise connected to the posts, producing a suitable tower in the form of a truncated pyramid having its truncated summit capped by a suitable table, C, and at a suitable distance below its summit is tted with a transverse table, D. These tables are provided with a vertical central opening, in which is tted the vertical tubular bearin g E, to receive the tubular shaft F to revolve therein. This tubular shaft F is connected with the mill, and by means of its tubular bearing serves to hold the mill in a vertical position on the tower to revolve in a horizontal plane for the purpose of permitting the mill to adapt itself to meet the changing directions of the wind.

G represents a wind-wheel of ordinary construction of the rosette form in which the fan- (No model.)

blades are fixed. This wind-wheel is provided with a shaft, a, projecting from its center, and is fitted to revolve in a bracketarm bearing, b, which rises from the side of the upper end portion of the vertical tubular shaft. The projecting end of this shaft c is fitted with a crank-head, c, provided with a wrist-pin, d, on which is journaled the pitman e, having its upper end pivoted to the vertical pump-rod f. From the side of the tubular shaft opposite the bracket-arm bearing rises a bracket-arm support g, having its upper end portion, h, overhanging the axial center of the tubular shaft, and is fitted with a suitable opening to receive the upper portion of the pump-rod j', and serves as a guide thereto to direct the up-anddown movements of the rod and to resist the sidewise action of the crank-head through its pitman-connection therewith. The upper open end of the vertical shaft is tted with a transverse bar, i, which is provided with a vertical opening through which the pump-rod slides in its vertical movements, and it operates as an additional guide and, in connection with the overhanging guide-arm h, serves to retain the pump-rod in proper position.

H represents the directing-vane which controls the horizontal movements of the mill, and its inner end is fixed to a vertical shaft, k, which has its bearings fixed to the vertical support g in such a manner as to permit of a horizontal swinging movement of the windwheel through a quarter of a circle relatively with the vane in such a manner that the face of the Wind-wheel can move from a position in the wind, as represented in Fig. 2, at right angles to the vane, to a position out of `the wind, as represented in Fig. 3, parallel to the vane.

At lis represen teda miter-toothed quadrantgear mounted on the vertical shaft with the directing-vane, and is connected therewith iu such a manner that its horizontal movements shall be in unison therewith.

At I is represented a controlling-vane eniployed to control the velocity of the windwheel, and its inner end is xed to a horizontal shaft, m, placed in substantially the same vertical plane with the shaft of the wind-wheel and parallel therewith, supported in bearings projecting from the vertical support g. The

rear or projecting end of this shaft is fitted with a imiter-toothed quadrant-gear, i1, the teeth of which engage the teeth of the initei'v toothed quadrant-gear I.

From this arrangement it will he seen that the vanes are placed at right angles to each other, and so connected that when the wheel is in the wind both vanes will be in parallel horizontal planes and in their relative positions at right angles to each other, as represented in Figs. 1,2, and Land when the wheel is out of the wind the controlling-vane will be in the vertical position represented iii Fig. 3, and will then, also, he at right angles with thcV directing-vane, but the vaneblades will then be in the saine vertical plane with their edges to the wind, and as thc wind-wheel is passing from the wind, or into the wind through the quarter of the circle in either direction from one point to the other, the controlling-vane will passin one or the other direction from the horizontalto the vertical positioiuor vice versa.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the mill is properly balanced to give a proper el'eotve force under a given velocity ot" wind that an increased velocity of the wind acting against the controlling-vane will canse it to ilse ina plane parallel to the i'ace of the windwheel, and in such vertical iiiovemeut, by means of its gear-toothed connection with thedirecting-vane, will carry the wheel out of the wind to a position parallel with the directing-vane, and as the velocity of the wind sinks the controlling-vane will descend toward its horizontal position and carry the wind-wheel into the Wind. This action will vary with the vai-ying velocities of the wind, and operates as a successful controlling device.

At o is represented a weight made adjustable on an arm, p, tixed to the arm ot' the controlliig\'aiie,and is employed to hold the wind- Wheel to the wind with greater or less force, as it is adjusted farther t'i'oin or nearer to its center ot' motion.

At s is represented a counter-weight, inade adjustable on an arm, s', which is adjustably supported on the horizontal shaft of the controlling-vane, by means of which its relative angle with the arm p, on which the weight o is supported, may be varied, and in connection with the couiiter-weiglit s, inade adjustable thereon, and the adjustable weight o fur- '.tish the means by which to adjust the mill to run with safety under any reasonable increase of the velocity of the wind.

At t is represented a cord having;l its end portion fixed to the arin of the controllingvane, or an arm connected therewith, from which it is passed upward over a pulley, t, l suitably supported in bearings on the vertical l standard g, and from thence down through thc l vertical tubular shaft I* to a convenient posil tion to be operated from the ground. This cord is employed i'or the purpose of turning the wheel out ot' the wind when it is not required for use, which is accomplished by pulling the cord down to raise the controlling-vane to its vertical position and then fastening the cord in any convenient manner.

This mill is designed to be applied to any or most ot' the uses for which windmills are employed, and in its present form is fitted to be attached to a pump by means of the vertical central rod hereinbeforc described as the pumprod, and by means of which it may be connected to move machines of various kinds.

From the foregoing my invention and its operation will be fully understood without other or further detailed description.

l am aware that it is not new with nie to provide the arni of the main vane with a segmental or quadrant gear which meshes with a segmental or quadrant gear pivoted to an upright arin on the turn-table, and hence I would haveit understood that l make no broad claim to such combination of parts.

I claim as my inventionl. In a windmill, the combination, with thel horizontal shaft in, having an arm, s', provided with a weight, s, connected therewith, of the arm of the controlling-vane I, secured to shaft m, said arni provided with arm p and weight o, substantially as set forth.

2. In a windmill, the combination, with horizontal rotary shat't in, having an independent arm, s', secured in rotary adjustment on said shaft, and slide-weight s, attached to said arm, ofthe arm of the controlling-vane, attached to shaft m, said arin provided with arm p and weight o, substantially' as set forth.

.'l. In a windmill, the combination, with the shaft in, having an independent arm, s', secured in rotary adjustment on said shaft, and slide-weight s, attached to said arm, ofthe arm of the controlling-vane [attached to shaft m, said arm provided with arm p and weight o, and thc arin ot' the directing-vane H, provided with a quiulrant-gear, I, and a quadrant-gear, n, attached to shaft m, substantially as set forth.

4. ln a windinill,the combination,withshatt m, having the arin of vane I secured on one end thereof, ot' arm s', provided with weight s, and located hetweeii said vane-arm and quadrant-gear and secured in rotary adjustment on the shaft-arm p, secured to the arm of vane I, and provided with weight o, and quadrant-gear I, attached to arin of vane II and meshing with quadrant-gear n, substantially as set forth.

BENJAMIN M. ROLPH.

'itnesses WILLIAM ULEMANS, ELizA ANN HYDE.

IOO

IIO 

